Tuesday, 9/16/2014

I was pretty tired when I wrote this, so it might be a bit choppy.

In the morning, I finally figured out how to activate texting on my prepaid Japanese cell phone. I had to call the service line, and activate "mail service" which is Engrish for "texting service." Unlimited texting costs 308 yen per month. 

Checked out of room and left luggage at hotel.

Mail stuff to my sister at Akasaka post office (found it using a local map I got from the hotel staff). I went to the wrong entrance at first, because I saw a woman go in. I couldn't figure out why it was locked, but eventually an employee saw me and told me the entrance was around the corner.

After the post office, I met up with my Japanese friend. Neither of us was very hungry despite it being noon, so first we went to the Origami House. However, it wasn't open until 12, so we wandered around and then stopped at a convenience store. There, at my friend's recommendation, I bought a salty fruit drink.

A shrine with a memorial to someone. The description was written in very difficult Japanese, so even my Japanese friend didn't understand.

Manhole cover.

Fancy manhole cover for Tokyo water.

Japan has way more interesting Haagen Dazs flavors than America does. But it's more expensive.

Salty Lychee drink: a Thai's mother homemade recipe

With a pinch of Okinawan salt and 10% juice, including grapefruit

my friend's drink. 30% juice. carbonated

Then we went to the Origami House. The origami models on display were incredible--well made, creative, and complex, with many models and books by famous origamists. While we were there, there was a fairly strong earthquake. My friend noticed before I did. The glass display cases and the shelves were rattling. He said, "It's an earthquake!" The Origami House staff, who were very quiet people, didn't really say anything, but they switched on the radio. I didn't pay much attention, but I think the broadcast was about the earthquake. After the earthquake, we noticed one of the origami models had fallen on the floor. We alerted the staff, who told us to leave it there.

After Origami House, we wandered around a bit looking for a cafe to spend time in, but we couldn't find one because the area didn't have much, so we went to Odaiba.

Spotted this sign in the train station. It describes an increase in nationwide violence against train employees.

This sign is both funny and weird. The reason for both is because it's saying that it's safer to stand patiently in two rows when riding the escalator, rather than everyone one standing on one side to let people run up the left. That's the exact opposite of what everyone does. The cultural norm is what's shown on the bottom.

The train line that services the Odaiba area. The seats are in an unusual formation.

In Odaiba, a lot of places were closed, since apparently it was their day off, including Fuji Television and the Fune no Gakukan (Boat Museum). When we rode the train through the station in Odaiba, I noticed that each station had unique symbols decorating it.

One of the many places under construction. I was surprised because it was such a large area.

The pyramid-shaped building is Tokyo Big Sight. There is a giant red saw in front of it. You can see it on the left.

Fuji Television

The symbol and its explanation for Daiba Station.

A list of all the symbols and their stations.

Near Daiba Station, there was a Statue of Liberty, and nearby was a Freedom Flame statue and the Gundam statue. I could also see Rainbow Bridge, which we crossed while we were on the train back to the hotel.

Rainbow Bridge is in the background.

This is a somewhat 3D map, I guess to help blind people navigate their way.

Posing in front of the OnePiece and anime goods store at Fuji Television.

 We paused to eat some takoyaki, but I guess I forgot to take a picture. Takoyaki are round balls made from batter and pieces of octopus. Then we went outside and voila!

Gundam Statue from the back

Gundam statue from the front

As the day wore on, I suffered from decreasing Japanese ability and increasing exhaustion. As I drank a matcha frappucino with my friend at Starbucks, my attention wandered and I had to ask him to repeat everything at least 3 times. He was really patient with me, since he figured I was jetlagged from arriving yesterday.

At Starbucks, there's a Caramel and Pudding drink?

I passed this suit store on the way back to the hotel.

When I got back to the hotel, I had a different room, but on the same floor as before. This time I figured out the air conditioning. The room had a closet area that was bigger than my previous room. The bathroom was different, and the room’s electricity was controlled by inserting the key into a slot. When you take out the key, everything turns off after a minute.

Electricity activated by putting the key tag in the slot. Light switches on the right and air conditioning control on the left.

Room #2

Bathroom #2

Tea set provided on desk. Every hotel room I stay in has a tea set.

Toilet with special functions and the type of flush handle I'm familiar with.

This is my favorite showerhead so far. Push the handle on the right down, and its the faucet, middle is off, and up is shower. It's separate from the sink, which makes it easier to keep the shower curtain in place.

Soap dispenser that provides hand/body soap, conditioner, and shampoo.

The bed is covered with a sheet and this comforter that is extra thick in the middle.

A rope. If you twist the silver knob to the right, it locks it.

The hook to attach the end of the rope to.

The extended rope, ready to hang things on (as long as they're less than 3kg). You're supposed to use the rope to hang dry things.

The view from my window. The people in the room on the left came home late, so the light from their room shined into mine.

Later I ate with one of the Fulbrighters, and briefly met another one.

Tempura donburi, called Ten-don for short: tempura shimp and veggies (including japanese pumpkin) over rice, with a special sauce (the packet at the bottom).